


Christmas

by fiveysbrokenstar



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst and Fluff, Character Death Fix, Fluff, M/M, One fic before season 8 destroys us all, holiday fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-08
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-09-14 01:33:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16903596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fiveysbrokenstar/pseuds/fiveysbrokenstar





	Christmas

It had been a long day. The paladins had been trying to reunite families in time for the upcoming holidays and it had taken a toll on them all.

Shiro sighed softly as he entered the quarters he'd once shared with Adam. He had no family to share the holiday with and if he had, he didn't want to be with them. He didn't want to feel their pity. He sighed heavily as he poured himself another drink, sinking onto the sofa. He'd been sent home early after it became obvious things were affecting him too much. Somewhere in the haze, it occured to him that Adam would have loved to be there - if he didn't hate him, that was. 

Adam always loved this time of year. He'd have gone about decorating the flat and dragging Shiro to Christmas parties.

The first notes of Elvis Presley's 'Blue Christmas' played on the turntable. Shiro didn't remember putting the record on - perhaps somewhere between his third and fourth drinks. This was why he wanted to be out in the field, why he didn't want to slow down -- it hurt too much. 

He took a shuddering breath, trying to compose himself. Even here, in the safety of his own quarters, he didn't want to cry. He was still mourning the loss of the man he so dearly loved. 

\-------------------------------------------------  
It was fast approaching 10pm and the five paladins - along with Romelle, Coran, and Krolia - had finally converged on the last camp in the region. Each paladin was set up at their own station, working busily. 

Nearing the very end of the night, Keith decided to make a walk around the camp. He wanted to make sure no one was left out. It took him twenty minutes or so before he reached the medical station. He lightly knocked on the door before he entered. 

'Hello? Anyone in here?'

Even with the lack of answer, it was obvious there was. This camp didn't like wasting energy so unnecessary lights were hardly ever left burning. 

'I'm helping reunite families for Christmas,' He called out. 

He carefully made his way to the back, checking each room along the way, calling out for an occupant. He still didn't receive an answer. It took him nearly five minutes to reach the final door. He knocked once before entering only to be hit by a crutch. He jumped back, readying to defend himself. He knew to do as little damage as possible as he wouldn't want to hurt them any further.

'I'm here with the Galaxy Garrison.'

Any further attack was stopped and the attacker stepped into view, his head bowed. Even without the tell-tale glasses, Keith easily recognized him, much to his shock. 

'Adam?'

Adam's head snapped up. He could barely make out Keith's outline, but he easily recognized the voice. It was the same boy Shiro used to bring around all the time. Then his thoughts briefly turned to Shiro, the pain that came with remembering that name. 

'You're supposed to be dead.'

Keith's words pulled Adam from his thoughts. To both their surprise, he actually laughed. 

Keith stood still for a moment, not entirely certain of what to say. His shock faded, replaced with something akin to excitement.

'Will you come back with us?'

'Back where?'

The question hung in the air for a moment or two, both of them unsure. 

'To the Garrison. You...'

'What? Belong there?'

There was venom in his voice. How could he go back when the Garrison was the reason he was like this, the reason he was broken. He was so, so broken. 

'It's just...'

Keith sighed softly and stared at him for a moment. He was measuring his words carefully.

'We're reuniting families for the winter holidays.'

The explanation was weak, just enough to fill the silence.

'I don't want to.'

'But Shiro wou-'

'Shiro is dead,' Adam cut him off angrily. 

Keith stared at him, holding his hands up a bit. 

'Please. Just come back.' 

It was well past midnight now, quickly approaching three or four in the morning. Keith knew something had to be done. 

'They can fit you with a prosthetic. You won't need the crutches anymore.'

Adam was quiet for a moment. There was obviously something Keith wasn't yet telling him. It was just enough to make him curious. He wasn't sure if he should go, if only to investigate. He took the time to weigh his options. 

'Alright. Fine, I'll come.'

Keith smiled a bit and started back to his lion. He kept a somewhat slow pace, just slow enough for Adam to keep up. 

'There's something you're hiding,' Adam spoke up.

'If I tell you, you wouldn't believe me,' Keith pointed out.

'What do you mean.'

'It's almost impossible. At least to you.'

'I'll keep an open mind.'

'It's a long story, one I can't give you all the details to.' 

He couldn't see Adam's face, but he could feel his eyes boring into his back. He could feel the palpable apprehension and that was mixed with an obvious curiosity.

'Most of the story is for Shiro to tell. Not me.'

'You're kidding,' Adam laughed bitterly,' Takashi's been dead for years.'

'I'm not.'

Adam sighed softly. It was an unusual claim. Was it possible that the universe decided to afford him this one little miracle? All he had to do was go to Galaxy Garrison and find out. It seemed almost too good to be true.

Not 15 minutes later, they were landing at the Galaxy Garrison Headquarters. Keith helped Adam out of the lion, asking questions of a couple others. While he was distracted, a couple cadets managed to wrestle a bow onto Adam's head. 

'Where's Takashi?'

If this was all true, if Keith wasn't just selling him lies, he was eager to see the man he'd lost, the man he loved so much. 

Keith smiled a bit and led Adam to the quarters Adam and Shiro had shared. He knocked on the door.

'Go away,' the response came almost too fast.

'C'mon Shiro. It's Santa Claus,' Keith called, a teasing tone to his voice. 

Eventually the door opened just a crack. 

'Does that mean I can come in?'

There was no answer from Shiro. Keith motioned for Adam to follow as he entered the quarters. He glanced around, finding Shiro standing at one of the small windows that let light stream into the room. The sun had yet to rise, but the view of the stars was nice. 

'Shiro...' Keith began. 

He crossed the room and placed a hand on the older paladin's shoulder.

Shiro sighed quietly and brushed Keith's hand off his shoulder. It probably came off as cold and uncaring, but right now he wasn't sober enough to give a damn.

'Just turn around. There's someone here to see you,' Keith spoke gently.

'Who? Santa Claus?' Shiro deadpanned. 

'For Pete's sake, Takashi! Turn around and greet me properly before I get rid of this ridiculous bow by myself!'

Adam's voice was shaking a bit and only Keith could see the tears that threatened to spill. He tried not to be so upset. He wasn't upset exactly, it was overwhelming to be in this space again, even moreso with Shiro standing there so close, yet so far away. 

Shiro tensed a bit. That voice. It couldn't be. Not many called him by his first name and Adam always had. That name had always sounded so sweet coming from him, so he'd never bothered to make a correction. This was all too impossible. Adam was dead.

'N-no... It can't...' 

He tried to compose himself. He couldn't quite manage it before Keith spun him around. He stared blankly at Adam for a moment. Somehow it seemed even more impossible now that he could see him, even moreso with Adam facing the wrong direction with a ridiculous gift bow on top of his head. He wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. He was even beginning to to question his sanity. 

'Y-you see him too, right?'

Shiro turned to Keith, ignoring the fact that Adam was staring into the kitchen for just a moment. 

'Yeah, he's real...and talking to the fridge.'

Once it was established he wasn't going mad, Shiro gave a breathless laugh, still in shock. 

'He always was hopeless without his glasses.'

'Hey!' Adam protested in mock offense. 

Shiro went to a drawer in the kitchen, getting a spare pair of glasses and bringing them back over. He took the liberty of slipping them onto Adam's face, the brief contact only serving to reassure him that this was real.

Keith slipped out of the room and Shiro could care less, too focused on Adam. 

'Hey,' he whispered, stealing a kiss from Adam's lips. ' You're not dead.'

Adam pulled him in for a brief kiss, chuckling softly. 

'You didn't die in space,' he teased. 

'Well... About that...'

'Takashi!!!'

Shiro just laughed and kissed him again, properly this time.


End file.
